Apparatus for producing illusory dramatic effects



(No Model.)

J. W. KNELL.

By judicial change of name now NEILSON BURGESS. APPARATUS FOR PRODUCINGILLUSORY DRAMATIG'BFPEGTS.

Patented Mar. 22,

gggggmfilnllrill' II HWI NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES W. KNELL, BY J UDIOIAL CHANGE OF NAME NOW NEILSON BURGESS, OFHIGHLANDS, NEW JERSEY.

APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING ILLUSORY DRAMATIC EFFECTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 471,127, dated March22, 1892.

Application filed March 28, 1890.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, NEILSON BURGESS, formerly JAMES WV. KNELL, ofHighlands, in the county of Monmouth and State of New J ersey, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for ProducingIllusory Dramatic Effects, of which the following is a full, clear, andexact description, whereby any one skilled in the art can make and usethe same.

The object of my invention is to produce a simple, cheap, andcomparatively light and easily-handled apparatus for use in produc ingcertain illusory effects in the representation on a stage of a racescene; and my invention is particularly intended for use in footracescenes.

To this end my invention consists in the combination of a stage, themovable carriage, and the peculiar endless path borne thereon; and itfurther consists in detail of the several elements and theircombination, as more particularly hereinafter described, and pointed outin the claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of a stage,illustrating an embodiment of my invention. Fig. 2 is a detailedsectional view, on enlarged scale, of one of the carriages. Fig. 3 is aview showing the carriage provided with an arm and guide projectingthrough a slot in the stage.

In the accompanying drawings, the letter Ct denotes the stage b,abackground-scene that is preferably a panorama. On the stage, either ina suitable guideway, on tracks, or like device for controlling thedirection of motion of the carriage, there are arranged two or morecarriages c. To each carriage there is connected, when a considerableweight is to be borne on the carriage, a rope d or like flexibleconnection leading to a Windlass or winch 6, so that the rope may bewound thereon or unwound in such manner as to perfectly control theposition and motion of the carriage that may be mounted on wheels or mayslide on suitable tracks or guides. Each carriage is made up of aframe-work 0, between the side parts of which extend a number of shaftsor journals f, on which are mounted rollers g, each of which forms ashort endless path on which a person may stand and move in such manneras to cause the roller to turn on its bearings. Each roller g is mountedso as to turn with the least possible friction, and its periphery ispreferably covered with a ma- Serial No. 345,760., (No model.)

an arm h extending through a groove a through the stage, so as to beaccessible from below, and a guide it may extend from the rear part ofthe frame of the carriage into the same groove to, so that the directionof the movement of the carriage may be easily controlled.

In order to represent a race, a runner may be placed on each of thecarriages, that are provided, if need be, with a brace or guard tosupport the runner while he is in motion. The alternating forwardmovement of the two carriages, either with or without the movingpanoramic scene, will then be so controlled as to convey to the audiencethe impression of a contest of speed.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination of a stage, the panoramicscene, the carriage located on the stage, the means for moving thecarriage along the stage, and the endless path consisting of a series ofrollers mounted in the frame of the carriage and adapted to support amoving object 011 their peripheries, all substantially as described.

2. In combination with a stage having a groove or channel therethrough,a scene and a movable carriage mounted on the stage with an armprojecting through the groove, the said carriage consisting of a framesupporting rollers adapted to support a moving object, all substantiallyas described.

3. In a device for producing race effects on astage, a movable carriage,a series of rollers journaled in the carriage, mechanism connected toone end of the carriage to move it

